Okay well I worked extremely hard to get the second chapter done before bed. Two chapters in one day is either a sign of determination, or a sign that I have absolutely no life. Either way, I hope you like it, and please review.

Hashing Out The Past

-Flashback to 1861-

"I can't believe that our town is going to be celebrating its first birthday already," said Daisy, "The last year has passed by rather quickly, has it not?"

I smiled as I finished putting on my gown, "It certainly has. Is Chester escorting you to the party?"

Daisy smiled coyly, "No. As lovely as Chester is, he's hardly the sort of date you show off. I secured us both dates with two of the most eligible bachelors in town."

I gave my friend a disapproving look, "And just when were you going to tell me this?"

"I wasn't," she answered simply, "My plan was to just introduce him as your escort. That way it would be too late to say no."

I shook my head, "I'm perfectly capable of finding a date of my own, you know."

"Oh, is that right?" Daisy smirked, "Where is he, then?"

"Never you mind," I snapped, "Well, who are they now?"

"Stefan and Damon Salvatore," Daisy replied, "They're incredibly handsome. And they're from one of the founding families."

"As am I," I reminded her, "Does that make me any more desirable?"

"No, seeing as not a soul knows you're related to the Fell's."

"And that's exactly the way I like it," I stated, "I'm much prouder of grandmother's side of the family. My grandfather's side likes to drop names to get what they want. My grandmother's works for it."

"Well, Stefan and Damon are great. I met them last week in the town square. As close as two brothers could be," she told me.

"And which one will be my escort?" I questioned, "Surely which ever one you deem to be less attractive."

Daisy grinned, "Very well. Since I went ahead and did this behind your back, you can have your pick."

"And who is yours?" I teased.

"It honestly doesn't make a difference to me," Daisy said, "I'd be happy to accompany either one of them."

As the two girls finished getting ready, a knock could be heard at the door. Daisy practically squealed as she made her way down the staircase. I followed, considerably less excited than she was. She swung the door open and there stood two of the most handsome men I had ever seen.

"Hello," Daisy said, smiling sweetly at the boys, "This is Gabriella Novelli. Gabriella, this is Stefan and Damon Salvatore."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," I said, curtsying at the two.

"The pleasure is all mine," said Damon, as he grasped her hand and kissed it.

"It's nice to meet you, Gabriella. A fellow Italian, I gather," Stefan added.

"Indeed," I responded, "I don't remember much of Italy as I was only four when we moved here. So, which one of you gentlemen will be my escort this evening?"

The two brothers exchanged a look that I couldn't quite figure out. I could sense that they weren't comfortable choosing amongst themselves. "Or we could make it a game of chance," I suggested, noticing that they were struggling with the choice.

"And how would we do that?" Damon inquired.

"Hmm... Let's see then. How about you two gentlemen guess which month I was born in? Whomever guesses correctly shall be my date."

"Fair enough," Stefan nodded, "March?"

I shook my head and locked eyes with Damon, "Your turn."

"July?" he guessed.

"No. Keep guessing," I said, looking at Stefan, "Go on."

"April?" he suggested.

I grinned, "That's right. You win... Or lose, depending on how you look at it."

Stefan smiled, "I'll count it as a win."

"Shall we go, then?" Daisy asked, grabbing her shawl from the front closet. She handed me mine as well and I thanked her.

- Present Day -

There was nothing I wanted more than to run down to the hospital and see Elena. I wanted to see all of my old friends, for that matter. But I had to control myself. I couldn't reveal that I was back in town until it was time to go back to school. I'd have to get along by myself for another three months. It was only day three and I was already starting to feel myself going crazy. I found myself reminiscing about the early years of Mystic Falls. Before all of the madness began.

The only person who knew I was in town was Stefan. And it kind of worked out, because I was the only person who knew he was in town. Stefan and I had been very close back in the 1800s. It's kind of strange, thinking of Gabriella as me. But she was. A knock sounded from the front of the house and I hurried to the window to see who it was.

I opened the door and stepped aside, "Come on in. What can I do for you?"

"There were some questions I never got answers to," Stefan said, not beating around the bush, "I'd like some now."

I nodded slowly, worried about where this was going, "All right. What do you want to know?" I gestured for him to take a seat on the couch, and he did.

"The night we met," Stefan began, not sure how to express himself, "Did you know what was going to happen to us? To Damon and I?"

I shook my head, "No. I never saw anything like that. A year before you met Katherine, I saw you and him in bed with her. But I never saw her feeding on you, compelling you, or turning you."

"Why did you play that guessing game with us the night we met? Why didn't you just choose?" Stefan asked.

"I had a few reasons for that. The first, I saw the way you two looked at each other. I could tell neither of you wanted to go for it, just in case the other did. I respected that. The other... I just had this feeling. Like, if I chose between you, it would trigger something... I know it sounds ridiculous, but something in my gut told me not to do it."

"It didn't matter whether you chose or not," Stefan sighed, "If it wasn't you, it was Katherine..."

"You two always did have similar taste in women," I smirked, "But I had this thing about not driving a wedge between brothers, so I didn't pursue either of you until I knew it wouldn't hurt the other."

"I appreciate that," Stefan said sincerely.

- Flashback to 1861-

"Shall we dance, Miss Novelli?"

I turned around and smiled, "I would be delighted, Mr. Salvatore. But first, I have to ask my date. What do you say, Mr. Salvatore?"

"I say watch out for my brother's two left feet," he said with a wink.

I giggled and allowed myself to be led onto the floor by Damon, "And where is your date?" I asked.

"She went to mingle with the other guests," Damon replied, "Besides, if it weren't for my horrid intuition, I could very well be your date."

I smiled, "Well, Daisy is a wonderful companion."

"She's a great girl," Damon agreed, "How long have you two been friends?"

"For a few years now," I answered, "I'm surprised I've lived here all this time and never come across you and your brother."

"Tragic, isn't it?" Damon joked, "Speaking of my brother, how are you enjoying his company?"

"He's a perfect gentlemen," I responded, "Very attentive."

"That's my little brother," Damon muttered, "But in all honesty, you won't find many like him."

"And what about you, Damon?"

"What about me?" he asked as we continued to twirl around to the music.

"Stefan's the quiet, attentive, chivalrous one. So which one does that make you?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"One day when we know each other better, I'll ask you to tell me," Damon said mysteriously, wiggling his eyebrows in a playful manner.

"And who's to say we'll know each other any better someday?" I teased.

Damon pretended to look hurt. Then, he went back to looking cocky, "I guarantee it."

The evening drew to a close and the guests began to leave. Daisy, Stefan, Damon, and I piled into a carriage and took off. We stopped at Daisy's house first, and Damon walked her to her front door. He gave her a polite kiss on the cheek before she disappeared into the house.

"Where do you live, Gabriella?" Stefan questioned.

"Down the road about five minutes," I replied, "It's the big stone house with the ridiculous gate out front."

"Oh, I believe I know which one you're speaking of," Stefan replied, "Did you have a nice evening?"

"It was marvelous. Thank you for escorting me, Stefan," I said, smiling at the younger Salvatore brother.

"Anytime," he said, his face lighting up, "Perhaps you would like to meet again tomorrow? If you don't have any prior engagements, that is."

"That sounds wonderful," I said with a smile, "Damon? What does your schedule look like tomorrow?"

"I'm free as a bird," Damon replied, "Where shall the three of us meet?"

"How about here? My parents are off visiting my uncle for the week. I'm all alone here," I explained.

"Perfect," Damon said, "See you then."

"I'll see you both tomorrow," I said, leaning in to give them both a peck on the cheek. Stefan helped me out of the carriage and walked me to my door, "I really had a great time getting to know you, Stefan. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow."

"As do I," he said, smiling at me, "Goodnight, Gabriella."

"Goodnight, Stefan."

-Present Day-

"You were totally into me!" I teased, "We have deer, bunny, and bear on the menu, by the way."

"I'll go for the bear, thanks," Stefan said as I tossed him the bottle, "And don't pretend like you weren't attracted to me as well."

I rolled my eyes, "Well, obviously you're hot, Stefan."

"Do you ever wonder about it?" Stefan asked quietly.

"About what?" I asked unsurely.

"Do you ever wonder what would've happened if we hadn't gotten into that fight? I probably never would've met Katherine. I probably never would've turned - Or forced Damon to for that matter."

"Do I ever wonder if we would've been together?" I asked.

Stefan nodded, "That too."

"I wonder about all of it, Stefan," I confessed, "It was hard for me, too, Stefan. I mean, I was the one with the choice. I could've simply chosen one of you over the other but I couldn't."

"Because you didn't want to hurt one of us or because you couldn't decide?"

"You want to know the truth, Stefan? Once and for all?" We locked eyes for a moment before Stefan answered.

"Yes."

"You were the perfect brother, the perfect friend, the perfect son, and you were a perfect man, Stefan. You are perfect. But Damon was perfect for me," After almost a century and a half of keeping that to myself, the truth was finally out there, "I didn't love him in spite of his flaws, I loved him because of them. But you... You were the best friend I've ever had, and I say that after all eight of my lives. I never felt so comfortable with anyone before. I was never so okay with being exactly who I was. I felt like I could share anything with you and never be judged for it. I wanted so bad to be in love with you, Stefan. I thought I was for a while, but it was never the same feeling I got around Damon. It was always Damon for me. The same way it was always you for Katherine. The difference is, I didn't choose and she did."

"That was beyond selfless," Stefan told me gently, "You gave up a chance at love because you didn't want to hurt me. You really never told Damon how you felt?"

"I only ever told him that I cared for him. Just as I did with you," I whispered, "About a year after we first met, I realized you and I were meant to be friends. I realized that even though I was attracted to you, we were perfect just as we were. I'm sorry, Stefan."

Stefan nodded, "I'm sure Damon would pay good money to hear you say that."

I shook my head, "The Damon I loved is gone now. I had a friend of mine look him up about a year ago. There's nothing worth loving left inside of him. Besides, he's still in love with Katherine. Once she came along it was as if I never existed."

Stefan shook his head, "That's not true. He talked about you all the time. He was just trying to get on with his life, you know? It hurt him too much to think about you."

"How do you know so much about Katherine anyway? She didn't come along until after you - "

"Who do you think turned me in the first place, Stefan?" I demanded.

His jaw dropped and he was speechless for a few seconds, "But why?"

"She turned me so when the time was right, she could pin the local deaths on me. To take the heat off of herself," I said, disgusted, "I thought of leaving, of starting a new life somewhere else, but she told me she'd find me eventually, and that this time I'd be dead for good. But eventually she set her sights on you two, and struck up a deal. She told me she wouldn't go through with it if I left town. I tried to return, but when I did, she threatened to kill you both if I ever came back. I missed you two so much, but I had to let you go."

"So, when you died... When I found you with your neck snapped - "

"I wasn't really dead. I mean, I was dead at the time, but I was in transition. I wish you hadn't blamed yourself all these years. It was her, not you. It was all her fault."

"I thought - "

"You thought my father did it after he caught you and me hanging out in my bedroom."

"Yeah," Stefan nodded.

"He did," I said, holding back tears.

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked, searching my face for answers.

"After you left, my father started hitting me and knocking me around the room. Katherine appeared, after tricking my mother to invite her in. She walked in on what my father was doing to me. She came in screaming stop, and I thought I was saved. She only made him stop long enough to cut open her wrist and forcefeed me her blood. After that, she told him to continue and not to stop until I was dead. He obeyed, and then he killed himself. I'll never know if she compelled him to do it, or if he did it on his own. And now you know everything, Stefan."

"Gabriella..."

"It's Ashley now, Stefan. I may have Gabriella inside of me, but she's only a small portin of who I am."

-Flasback to 1863-

"Gabriella?"

I took a deep breath and looked up. "Hello, Damon. How are you this afternoon?"

"Quite well, and yourself?"

"Better now," I grinned. I stood and gave him a hug, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," he said truthfully, "All of this time away has made me realize something. I know we had this talk in the past, and I'm fully aware of your position. But I know that I will regret it for an eternity if I don't say what I have to say."

"Damon - Please - "

"Gabriella, I need to, I'm sorry."

I stared at him for a couple of moments before sighing in defeat, "Very well, then."

"I love you. I'm completely, madly, undeniably in love with you. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I'm sick and tired of pretending like we're only friends. I want more, Gabriella. I want you, forever," Damon said, looking depply into my eyes. My heart began to melt and all I wanted was to tell him I felt the same way.

"Damon - "

"Don't put on this act anymore, Gabriella! I simply can't stand it. I know you feel the same way. I get that you may have feelings for my brother as well..."

"We can't be together, Damon," I said softly, "Maybe in another life."

Damon's eyes were wide with the pain he was feeling. He looked as if someone had just jabbed a needle into him. He looked like he was being deflated. I wanted more than anything to tell him how I felt, to kiss him and be with him. I felt a lump in my throat and thought that I was going to cry.

"I think you should go, Damon. This isn't right," I insisted, opening the front door.

He said nothing. He just turned around and walked away.

Okay, so remember to let me know what you think, I would sincerely appreciate it. Thanks!